Equal
by EmpyreanSun
Summary: The teenage Gods of Thunder and Mischief hear of a bingelsnipe roaming the outskirts of the city and decide to go after it. Things prove difficult when Loki and Thor are caught off-guard. Short story that may become a two-shot.


Inspired by this beautiful illustration on tumblr .com/post/23287566453/loki-now-i-need-a-second-following-the

I've had a lot of inspiration over the past few days, so this is just a short story to tide you over while I'm working on Chapter four of Uniting Hearts. .net/s/8082201/1/bUniting_b_bHearts_b

If you'd like me to extend it into two parts please review and let me know!

Enjoy!

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Equal 

"Loki, now!"

"I need a second!"

Thor wrestled with the creature's purple neck, trying to keep it in place as it thrashed between his muscular arms. Loki was mere feet away, hands raised in a battle stance as he summoned his magic.

"Come on brother, it will not wait for you to finish!"

"It's a complex spell." Loki retorted, the frown of concentration on his face deepening.

They had heard reports that a bingelsnipe was roaming the outskirts of the citadel and had decided to follow up on the rumour and search it out. Thor mostly because he wanted the pride of victory over the deadly creature, but when Loki had asked why it was so urgent Thor had mentioned something about its close proximity to the city.

The trickster knew then that while his older brother was far too loud and more than a little arrogant at times he was sensationally loyal to the people of Asgard. The creature was nearing the outskirts of the great city, and Thor did not want any Asgardian civilians to be harmed.

Drawing on more of his power, Loki leaned back, preparing to strike as an effervescent blue light encompassed his hands.

They were knee-deep in a small lake and the energy reflected off the water's surface creating delicate, glowing patterns of azure.

Unfortunately this alarmed the bingelsnipe and it lashed out wildly with its tail, sending Loki flying backwards into the other end of the lake and cutting a thin gash into his right arm.

"Brother!" Thor shouted, his grip loosening in shock as the creature's lilac body writhed, tossing its horns menacingly. The beast then turned its anger on the blonde Asgardian, whose strength had been keeping it from escaping.

Its tail wound around his legs, bringing him crashing against the rocks that lined the lake. With his legs now held fast under the water, Thor lifted his left arm, as it was closest to where Mjolnir lay on the grass, and called for his hammer.

The bingelsnipe disliked this movement, however, and sunk its teeth into Thor's left shoulder, wrenching a strangled cry of pain from him. Mjolnir dropped in mid-flight back onto the lime grass.

"Thor!" The younger teen yelled, recovering quickly from his fall and racing through the water to help his brother. The creature had let go of Thor's shoulder, now taking another swipe at his bare chest with razor orange claws. The God of Thunder managed to block this with his metal forearm guard, but he had no way of escaping.

Loki summoned the same spell with renewed urgency and, leaping onto its back, took the life from the bingelsnipe with one swift slash across its neck.

The beast recoiled away from Thor in a jerk, giving Loki enough time to jump from its back before it crashed to the bed of the lake, unmoving.

Loki stared at it suspiciously for a moment to be sure it was dead, before turning to Thor. His brother was breathing hard and the water around him was imbued with red from the blood rapidly gushing down his shoulder.

"We need to return to the citadel and have the healers mend your shoulder." He said, quickly lifting Thor up and wrapping his uninjured right arm across his own shoulders. Although the blonde Asgardian was muscular where the brunette was slight, he was not that much taller and the young trickster had little trouble carrying some of his brother's weight.

"Loki that was marvellous." Was all Thor replied, staggering slightly as from being suddenly vertical.

"Thor come. Male bingelsnipe have been known to have poison coating their fangs. Your shoulder needs attention now. Can you lift Mjolnir?"

Thor cocked his wrist in response and the hammer flew swiftly to him.

"Good. Let's get going."

"Wait brother, we must take the creature back with us."

"Can you for once not thing about the victory of battle?" Loki snapped, exasperated and worried that his brother was losing too much blood.

"Not for me. For you. The horns would make a nice addition to your room. It was you after all who felled it and saved my life. As well as the lives of those who it could have harmed had it reached the city."

Loki fell silent, irritation erased from his face as he looked up to see his brother's earnest smile.

"We can always come back for the beast." He said, beginning to half-carry Thor towards the city. "It'll still be dead. My concern is that you may not still be alive if we do not hurry back to the city now."

"Do not worry, I am fine."

"Don't be foolish. It must hurt a lot?"

Thor looked down at his brother's sincere expression as they made their way back to the city.

"Yes. It does a bit. But you have one to match." The God of Thunder eyed the thin cut on the Trickster's arm.

"Hmph. Match. I think not. Yours is far more impressive, and dangerous. We are unequal once more."

"You saved my life Loki. You are more than my equal."


End file.
